One of the most unusual cross-sport heavyweight boxing bouts in recent memory delivered chaos, controversy and a stunning late finish on Saturday, as unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk retained his WBA, WBC and IBF titles against elite kickboxer Rico Verhoeven in a spectacular event staged in the shadow of Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Giza.
The bout was billed as a ceremonial showcase for Usyk, who has already defeated former champions Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois in one of the most dominant reigns in modern heavyweight boxing. Few gave Verhoeven — a kickboxing legend who had only competed in one professional boxing bout, back in 2014 — a serious chance of troubling the Ukrainian champion. But what unfolded over 10 and a half rounds defied all pre-fight expectations.
Verhoeven’s unorthodox, jerky striking style, relentless bulldozing aggression and devastating right hand kept a sluggish Usyk off balance for almost the entire contest. He landed brutal clean shots early, rocking the champion in the opening rounds and leaving Usyk struggling to find his consistent range. While Usyk claimed a strong fourth round after rocking Verhoeven with a sharp uppercut, the challenger largely controlled the pace of the fight through the first 10 rounds, and most ringside observers had him ahead on the unofficial scorecards heading into the championship rounds.
The turning point came late in the 11th round, as a fatigued Verhoeven began to slow under the cumulative pressure of 12-round professional boxing. Usyk, digging deep, landed a stunning uppercut that dropped the Dutch challenger to the canvas. Verhoeven beat the count and climbed back to his feet with just 10 seconds remaining in the round, but Usyk immediately pressed forward, unloading a flurry of follow-up shots that sent Verhoeven stumbling against the ropes. With just one second left on the round clock, the referee stepped in to stop the contest, triggering immediate controversy over the early stoppage.
Speaking after the bout, Verhoeven expressed disappointment with the referee’s decision, arguing he had earned the chance to see out the final seconds of the round and compete in the 12th. “I thought it was an early stoppage but in the end it’s not up to me,” Verhoeven told broadcaster DAZN. “I wanted the referee to let me go out on my shield or let me go in the 12th. I felt we were pretty even on the scorecards.” Despite the result, Verhoeven said he was proud of his performance, thanked organizers for the opportunity, and revealed that Usyk had already offered him a rematch. “I am super proud of my performance and hopefully, the boxing world embraces me as a boxer,” he added.
For Usyk, the victory marked another successful title defense, but the champion made clear the fight carried far more meaning than just a belt retention. With his home country of Ukraine continuing to endure Russian missile attacks, Usyk shared a heartfelt message from his daughter, who was sheltering in a bomb shelter while watching the bout. “I know right now, Ukrainian people are sitting in the bomb shelter, my daughter too, in a bomb shelter, sent me a message saying, ‘Papa, I love you, you will win’,” Usyk said after the fight.
Paying tribute to his game challenger, Usyk added: “Thank you so much, Rico. You are an amazing fighter. Thank you so much to your team. My team, I love you. My wife, I love you. You are my light and my heart. This fight was hard. It was a good fight.”
The result leaves Usyk’s reign intact, but the controversial late stoppage and Verhoeven’s shock performance have already left fans calling for a rematch to settle the score.